What does Donald Trump’s mobile phone have to do with the price of eggs and China?
All three rated a mention in a fast-paced, borderline absurdist, final leaders’ debate of the federal election campaign on Sunday night.
As has been the norm during the previous four weeks of campaigning, Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton clashed over energy, tax and health policies, and traded barbs over the cost of living and house prices.
But one question about Australia’s relationship with the US elicited a novel response from the prime minister.
When asked by Seven’s moderator Mark Riley whether he texts the US president, Mr Albanese responded: “I’m not sure that he has a mobile phone.”
Mr Albanese said that wasn’t how diplomacy works between global leaders but he could still trust Mr Trump to back Australia on matters of security.
On that issue, Mr Dutton and the prime minister were on a unity ticket, but they differed on their rhetoric towards China.
The opposition leader said the biggest concern for Australia’s defence and intelligence agencies was “the Communist Party of China,” arguing geopolitical uncertainty meant it was necessary to increase defence spending by $21 billion.
Mr Albanese was more restrained as he acknowledged China’s efforts to grow its influence in the region, as well as its closely-intertwined trading relationship with Australia.
“What we have to do is to invest in our (defence) capability … but as well, invest in our relationships,” he said.
A panel of 60 undecided voters gave the contest to Mr Albanese, with half backing the prime minister, a quarter in favour of Mr Dutton and the remainder still unconvinced by either man.
But on the issue of defence, more voters thought Mr Dutton was the better performer.
Two days after far-right agitators heckled an Anzac Day dawn service Welcome to Country, Mr Dutton was asked about his stance on the practice, given he has promised to remove the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags from official press conferences.
“There is a sense across the community that it’s overdone,” he said, adding that having it at the start of every meeting or football game cheapens its significance.
“It divides the country, not dissimilar to what the prime minister did with the Voice (to Parliament referendum).”
Mr Albanese said the Welcome to Country was a matter of respect, but conceded the voice was “gone” from his agenda.
“(The referendum) was not successful,” he said.
“We need to find different paths to achieve reconciliation in this country.
“The truth is that all governments have not done well enough.”
On Indigenous affairs, Mr Dutton was the clear winner, convincing 46 per cent of the room with his performance, compared to 27 per cent for Mr Albanese.
Inevitably, the debate came back to what has been the crux of the campaign: the cost of living.
At one stage, the broadcast took on the form of a game show, with the two contestants forced into a Price is Right-style challenge to guess how much a carton of eggs would set a shopper back at the supermarket.
Mr Dutton went first, boldly suggesting $4.20 for a brand name 12-pack of free range.
Mr Albanese’s guess of $7 was closer to the ticket price of $8.50.
Both the Labor and Liberal campaigns will begin their mornings in Sydney on Monday before flying on to their next stops in a frantic final week before the May 3 election.
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